Quote:
|
by Host: It's time for a thread devoted ti indictments related to lobbyist Jack Abramoff's criminal activities, because there is a potential that there will be a lot of them, and Abramoff had very close ties to republican politicians; (and to some democrats) Tom Delay, Bob Ney, Bush appointees Karl Rove, Susan Ralston, and even some dealings involving Bush, himself. Republican activist Grover Norquist and christian coalition founder Ralph Reed teamed to collect and process money thrown off from Abramoff's lobbying for indian tribes, and a senate committee headed by John McCain has unearthed Abramoff ties to a former undersecretary in the dept. of Interior, the federal department that administers native American affairs. The white house chief procurement officer, James Savarin, was already indicted in the same investigation in september.
|
New names are being leaked in the investigation of Abramoff, which I presume are a result of Scanlon's cooperation:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/112605Z.shtml
Quote:
Abramoff Probe Spreads to White House, 4 Lawmakers
Reuters
Friday 25 November 2005
New York - The US Justice Department's probe of Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff is broader than previously thought, examining his dealings with four lawmakers, former and current congressional aides and two former Bush administration officials, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
Prosecutors in the department's public integrity and fraud divisions are looking into Abramoff's dealings with four Republicans - former House of Representatives Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio, Rep. John Doolittle of California and Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana, the paper said, citing several people close to the investigation.
Abramoff is under investigation over his lobbying efforts for Indian tribes with casinos. He has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Florida that he defrauded lenders in a casino cruise line deal.
The prosecutors are also investigating at least 17 current and former congressional aides, about half of whom later took lobbying jobs with Abramoff, as well as an official from the Interior Department and another from the government's procurement office, the Journal said.
Justice Department spokesman Paul Bresson declined to comment on the investigation.
The newspaper said investigators were looking into whether Abramoff and his partners made illegal payoffs to the lawmakers and aides in the form of campaign contributions, sports tickets, meals, travel and job offers, in exchange for helping their clients.
DeLay and Ney have already retained criminal defense lawyers.
Spokespeople for the two lawmakers told the Journal that they have both hired lawyers and have not been contacted by the Justice Department.
Michael Scanlon, a former aide to DeLay and partner to powerful Republican lobbyist Abramoff, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on Monday under a deal in which he is cooperating with prosecutors probing the alleged influence-buying.
Scanlon left DeLay's office and become a partner to Abramoff, who has been indicted for fraud in a separate case in Florida. The plea agreement has been seen as a major advance in prosecutors' efforts to investigate the lobbyist.
|
I have long suspected that DeLay would ultimately be caught up in his dealings with Abramoff and the whole 'K' Street adventure, but it is still a bit of a shock to see his name leaked. Dolittle and Burns are names that are new to me, and I don't see California and Montana having an obvious interest in tribal gaming. Investigation of Federici of the Interior Department is getting uncomfortably close to Norquist, and I believe there lies the end game when you follow the money.
Host, do you agree, or do you think criminal involvement with Abramoff will rise above Norquist?